Army Men is original in a growing number of games based on the green plastic army men that some of us used to play with as kids. You play Sarge, an experienced combat veteran, with the ultimate aim of beating the Tan forces, or the brown plastic army men. The range of weapons is impressive, from a standard rifle, to mortars and air strikes. There is also a selection of vehicles, including tanks, half-tracks, jeeps, etc., all of which are able to transport Sarge and his men about the battle area trying to complete the mission. The individual missions are short, but not always simple and it seems to take a number of attempts to learn what can and cannot be achieved. Good use of reconnaissance and close control of your men is the key to success. Control of individual men is fairly simple, although perspective does sometimes mean you are unable to squeeze your tank through what looks like a large enough gap. However, control of a platoon does become more complicated and they lack the AI or general initiative you would expect. With a little practice, however, control becomes more natural. There is also a handy function key map guiding you to the most useful gaming shortcuts. Army Men benefits from the escapism that comes with animating toys. On the flip side, however, Army Men does lack the realism and gameplay offered by other contemporary combat games. Overall, Army Men is an original and enjoyable twist in the military genre and has a huge following around the world. --Chris Hall